


Where Are You?

by ChibiTabatha



Series: Chibi's 2019 Whumptober [26]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M, Whumptober 2019, abandoned, emotional distress, making amends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 22:07:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21215819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiTabatha/pseuds/ChibiTabatha
Summary: Link is alone at Sue's house, and he can't reach Rhett. He can't help the spiral that follows.





	Where Are You?

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober day 26 Prompt: Abandoned

Rhett wasn't picking up the phone. Actually, no one in the McLaughlin household was picking up the phone.  
  
Link paced the front hall in front of the old handset phone his mom got when she first got the house. Where were they all?  
  
His mom hadn't been home when he woke up, and after breakfast when he tried to call Rhett to at least hang out with him, nothing. Then he called again an hour later. Again. And again.  
  
Rhett said that if anything happened, he would be able to come over. But what if everyone just cast him aside again. What if he'd actually been abandoned?  
  
That wasn't a thought he should be entertaining, but here he was. Cramming himself under the kitchen table to feel an ounce of comfort.  
  
Somewhere deep in his heart he knows that something has to be going on. Maybe the McLaughlin's have gone off to have breakfast or brunch together for the first time since Rhett's gone off to college.  
  
Even though he was trying to throw logic at the wall, it wasn't sticking. Link hugged his legs even tighter to his chest. Trying to still the shaking and tremors in his arms and legs.  
  
His knees bit into his cheeks and brows, putting pressure on his eyes to oppose the pressure building on the other side. He wasn't going to sit here and cry. That wasn't an option.  
  
Except that his body didn't quite get that memo when he had to press even harder into the bone to try and stem the flow of tears.  
  
This was pathetic, here he was, sitting under his mom's kitchen table, crying into his knees. All because he couldn't reach Rhett.  
  
The front door swung open and Link sat up and hit his head on the table. He cussed under his breath, hands lacing over the sore spot and rocking under the table.  
  
"Link, hon?" Sue's voice called out to him.  
  
Link locked up, he didn't want her to see him like this. But if he didn't move, she'd definitely see him holed up under her kitchen table.  
  
"Got something here for you," she walked past the kitchen towards his room.  
  
Link took a moment to unfold himself from under the table but not before he had apparently been caught, "Bo, what are you doing?"  
  
Link blinked up, neck straining to see all the way to Rhett's face while still on all fours. "Uh, dropped somethin'?"  
  
Rhett sighed before bending down and offering Link a hand up. Warm hands brushing at tear tracks, "No one was home. I should have called and told you. But Sue wanted to surprise you."  
  
Link sniffled slightly, "What do you mean?"  
  
At that moment his mom slipped into the kitchen, "There you boys are! Link, I got you something I think you might like. And I got Rhett here to help me."  
  
His mom gently took one of his hands in hers, pulling him towards the front of the house. "You know, I'm real glad you helped me out Rhett. I'm glad to see my boy is with someone so kind."  
  
Link blinked. What was going on?  
  
"Now I won't be here all the time, and I'm sure Rhett will have things to do with his family. I don't want you to feel like you're trapped here, so," Sue pulled the door open. Parked just beside his mom's car was his old beat up truck. "I got 'er all fixed up for you. Should be good enough to get through town."  
  
Link pulled Sue into a hug, "Thank you Sue."  
  
"Thank you for coming home Link."  
  
Rhett was right, things wouldn't be perfect, but they could at least try.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these boys. I love this story. It's not as intense as some of the others I find, but it still has some strong characters.
> 
> Come say hi over on [tumblr](https://chibitabathasloves.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
